Ore-classifier.



F. G. J AN N BY. ,ORE GLASSIFIER.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 14, 1910. 964,261 Patented July 12, 1910 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: 4

7 IN VENTOVR.

11 Fran/r Cr-Janney- ATTORNEY.

GRECLASSIFIEB.

application filed Iillaren opeci'fication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1916.

1910. Serial No. 549,245.

n it man; concern:

it; linown that i, l ar/inn f}. Jiansnr, citinen il nited fitates, residing at in the county oi Salt Lake 2311 1h, have. invented certain C]. 11.; 11o1c1nent.-,1n inc 1 as.1 'iiers, if him Z lowing 1s 2. full, clear, and exact; description, reference being had to the inpanying drawings, lei-111mg a pal. licret i.

V invention liasfprlation to ii'i'iprove- 11,1 in ore-riass'lieis; and itv consists in l details oi :onstruction more fully "a in the specification and pointed claims. a

in the ihawin lic'ure l. is a plan of a '2 ice: oi": ore-classitiers, sl'iowing my invennplied thereto; .l in'. 2 is a combined lo. tudinal elevation. and section in ol 1; Fig. 3 is an enclion on theline 3l--3 throu 'h one oi" the series o; ch 1 and l is a horizontal cross-mo. on the line t l of Pig 3.

talren across the tinal sizing chamber. 7

The prei. 1t invention is an improvement. on the cuoclassitier cot-cred by my ll. S. llatent. numbered 2 8,455, dated July 20, 1909; and wnile c intznnplatin the several objects,

the va.....us advantages of the paten .ed construction, it possesses the additional zw antan'cs (1) of breaking up all on; is 'ivhich destroy the desired ell'ect of ad honion'eneims risiing column, one; the particles oi? ore separate each particle the individual sucn rising column, and (3) of in rising cohunn to'eilectively nhter )2tl'il(.l(-.S from one hopper oi the series.

'lieation one of the oband acconi bcnctit enahlu n1 to r iccure an equal upwz'ird for each rising molecule of. water 5: :t. the entire cross'section of such colu 1 that the necessity of breaking up disturbing currents which destroy this inolecnlar equality of low becomes nnperative. I 111 the present npro'v'eimnit illlS 1s accom- 'ilished by intoposing b1= t*\vccn the hoppers or kipitzlasten and the terminal retarding discharge chamber or equalizer, a iinal sizing or sort on; chamber in which the hydraulic water has imparted thereto a double spiral rotary li'iUtlOll, thereby giving rise to a double spiral sorting or sizing column which not only breaks up the undesirable .lh'e advantages of the present. improveinent will be fully apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows: liel erring to the drawings, 111 which Figs. 1 and 2 show a conventional series of ore-classifier hoppers or Spitzltasten well known in the art, the classifier consists of a long t'a 'iering box or trough B, which is divided into a series (if successive coin 'iartinents. hoppers or pulp containers A progr ssively increasing in depth and capacity toward the wide end of the box or that end at. which the slime-water is discharged and toward which the pulp is directed by the general low of the water from one eianpartnient to the next compartmentot the series. (it: course. any one compartnient. constitutes a elassiticr in itself, so that a. detailed description of one will answer w llrated centrally within the compartment or container A is a hollow rotatable shaft H to which are allixod a series of padllllfi or stirrer arms I progressively increasing in length with the inclination ol the walls oi the compartment. The shaft ex lends downward into and through a bottom cylindrical, final sizing or sorting chamber 1, wherein the sha'Ftis provided with a (preferably) double screw or spiral conveycr2,2, the chamber being preferably provided with a bottom conical discharge mouth or extension 3 as shown. The shaft S however, terininates in the horizontal plane of the lower end of the cylindrical portion or sizing chamber proper. Secured to the lower flanged end of the discharge mouth 3 by means oi tiesrods is a glass cylinder 5 through which the condition of the classification niay always be observed, a nipple 6 connectiz'ig said observation cylinder with a too 7 which by means of a union 8 has its hoizontal leg connected to a second tee 9 from which leads the line pipe 10 to any suitable source of hydraulic water-supply (not shown). From the bottom of the Vertical member of the tee 7 depends a tube 11, the upper end of which within the tee forms a valve seat. 12, the tube discharging into a bottom equalizer 0r retarding chamber 13 provided with a discharge nozzle or bushing 145:, the same as in iny patent aforesaid.

The shaft Sis propelled by a worm-pinion E (on the drive-shaft E) engaging the worm-gear F secured to the upper end of the shaft, and may be rotated from any source of power (not shown) at any desired speed. The upper end of the shaft S is supported in a bearing a on a plank or plate 15 mounted across the top of the container and supported on the side extensions B of the box B, the gearing being protected by boxes or housings 16' through the vertical walls of which the shaft E freely passes, and by which it is in a measure supported. Of course, any available mechanical manner of supporting the shafts S and E may be re sorted to, no special method being indispensable. Loosely operating in the hollow stirrer shaft S is a rod or stem It, the lower end of which is provided with a valve V which controls the discharge port or passage 0 of the adjustable tube 11, the valve bcingadape ed to rest on the seat 12. To the upper proecting end of the valvestem R- is secured an arm (i, one end of which projects beyond the periphery of the worm-gear F and is guided between the fork members or bracket-arms H (in the housing 16) which are of sufiicient height to allow the arm G the necessary vertical movement in. the reciprocations to which it is subjected in operating the valve V.

Disposed along the top face of the wormgear 1 are a series of cams or tappets 17 which in the rotation of the worm-gear im pinge in pairs against the arm G (the latter being provided with suitable rings 18 which the tappets directly engage) and thereby lift the stem R and its valve V. After the cams have passed off the arm G, the rod R with its valve V drops by gravity to its lowest position in which the valve V rests on the seat 12, thereby closing the passage 0 in the tube 11. In my patent aforesaid the member corresponding to the tube or plug 11 is adjustable for efi'ecting a full or partial closing of the port 0 by an adjustment of the plug to or from the valve V, and the same arrangement may be availed of here if desired. The discharge of the classified material thus becomes intermittent instead of continuous. In the particulars just described the present classifier is not unlike the patented construction referred to, and possesses the same advantages. In fact, it is practically the same invention with the added improvements which give rise to the several advantages specifically enumerated above in the, general statement of the in vention. These improvements reside in the final sizing chamber; in the spiral agitator and conveyer mounted therein; in the specific location of such sizing chamber; in the equal angular velocities of rotation imparted to the conveyor and stirrer arms of the container; in the extension of the stirrer shaft S to which the spiral blades of the 1 conveyer are attached; and in the several details more specifically pointed out in the claims. In particulars not specifically detailed herein the present machine does not differ from the patented one. For example, the bottom retarding chamber or equalizer 13 serves the same purpose herein as in my patent aforesaid, namely to maintain a sli ht upward current for holding fine particles of slime in suspension during the discharge of the classified material. Features shown but not alluded to are old in the art, and hence need not be described herein.

The operation may be summarized as follows:-r .s the pulp flows from the narrow to the wide end of the classifier box from one container A. to the next succeeding one, the contents of each container are stirred by the 'stirrer arms C, the classified material be-' ing intermittently discharged by the raising of the valve V. Of course, the classification is accomplished by the rising column of water directed from the hydraulic line or pipe 10 into thccontainer through the sizing chamber 1 into and through which the heavier ore particles are constantly falling against the rising current, the lighter particles being carried over into the next succeeding container. The rising column in the sizing chamber 1 is subjected to a spiral motion by the screw conveyor .2 rotating at the same angular velocity as the stirrer arms (I, this action not only separating the ore particles so that each individual grain'may have the benefit of the classifying action of the rising water, but breaking up any currents which would have a tendency to destroy the equal velocity of upward flow of the individual molecules of the water of such rising column. The classified material as it falls through the sizing chamber is directed by the conical discharge mouth 3 thereof into the observation cylinder 5 whence it precipitates into the vertical chamber or leg of the tee 7 where it is intermittently discharged past the reciprocating valve V through the tube 11, thence dropping into the retarder or equalizer 13 from which it escapes through the bushing 14. The same action takes place in each container or classifier of the series, each succeeding classifier treating the overflow from the one immediately preceding it, until the last hopper is reached whence the slimes pass off to the proper concentrating apparatus.

The classifier obviously may be used for treating other material than what may be best designated by the term ore and I wish to be understood as not restricting the use or application of the invention to ore merely.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An ore-classifier comprising a suitable container provided with stirring means for the pulp, means for directing thereinto a I rising column of Water, and a screw c0nreyer coupled to the stirring means for imparting to such column a spiral motion.

Ji in ore classifier comprising a suitable container provided .With stirring means for t e pulp, means for directing tliereinto a rising column of water, and a double screw conveyor coupled to the stirring means for imparti' g to such column a spiral motion.

3. An ore-classiticr comprising a suitable l container for the pulp, means for directing thereinto a rising column of water, means ro toting about a fixed axis in the container for stirring the contents thereof. and a screw court-yer coupled to the stirring means and interposed in the path ot the rising column and v ubjected to rotation about the same axis with ,the stirring means.

4. in ()I' (,'l2lH:-lfiLl comprising a suitable container for the pulp, means for directing tliereiiito a rising column of water, means rotating about a lixed axis in the container for stirring the contents thereof. and a screw conte rcr coupled to the stirring means and interposed in the path ot the rising column and rotating about the same axis with the tirriii; means and at the same angular \'elocity.

{in oieclas ilicr comprising a suitable contain r. a liiial iziiig chamber below the Fame, and in coiiimiiiiication therewith, means tor directing into the container through the sizing chamber a rising column of water, there being a discharge port for the sizing chamber, a rotatable mechanical l agitator comprising a hollow shaft and stirrer arms located in the container, the shaft extending into the sizing chamber, a spiral conveyer or stirrer on the shaft in the sizing chamber, and a valve for controlling the discharges from the sizing chamber through the discharge port.

6. In. combination with a container for the pulp, stirring-means for agitatiiig the contents ot the container, :1 sizing chamber leading from the bottom of the container, a rotatable spiral conveyor or stirrer in said sizing chamber connected to the stirring means. and means for directing a rising column of water through the sizing cliaiii h r into the container during the operation of the stirring means and spiral conveyer respectively.

1A classifier comprising a pulpcontaincr 'irorided with stirring means. a sizing chamber communicating with the container through the bottom thcrcot, means for directing through the sizing chamber and into the container a rising \\'atci'coliii iiii.a double- I scr w rotating in the sizing cliainbe' about a vertical axis'l'or imparting a spiral rotary motion to the rising column, and a retarding chamber below the sizing chamber for discharging the (fl21 lllttl material.

In testinioirv wlicreot l atlix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

i IANK ti "JANNEY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD BioiaLoW, A. \Y. lVArsox. 

